Co-Authors Plus v3.0: Introducing Guest Authors

Co-Authors Plus makes it possible to assign multiple bylines to posts, pages, and custom post types via a search-as-you-type meta box. Version 3.0, several months in the making, allows you to assign bylines without having to create corresponding WordPress user accounts. Simply create a guest author profile for the writer and assign the byline as you normally would.

Guest authors can have all of the same fields as normal users, including display name, biography, and avatars. In fact, you can extend the model to include your own fields too. On the frontend, guest author profiles appear as normal user accounts would.

Many thanks to Austin Smith at Alley Interactive for his assistance with much of the original architecture.

Filter for the context and priorities of the Co-Authors meta boxes. Props Tomáš Kapler.

Renamed the post meta box for selecting authors so it applies to many post types. Props John Blackbourn.

Co-Authors Plus v3.0 is already available in the VIP Shared Plugins directory for WordPress.com VIP hosted clients. Everyone else is welcome to leave feedback, bug reports, and praise in the WordPress.org forums. Get involved with development on Github.